The scoreboard said the Albert Lea High School boys’ basketball team lost 80-76 to the Winona Winhawks.

But for some reason, Tigers coach Matt Addington did not feel defeated.

“We did so many things so well,” said Addington. “It didn’t feel like we lost tonight. It felt like we got beat.”

The Winhawks obviously felt right at home in the Tigers’ gym, nailing 10 of 18 three-point shots while making 28 of 51 overall from the floor. They were 14-for-18 on free throws and had only 11 turnovers.

According to Addington, that’s tough to beat, even with the Tigers going 31-for-59 on field goals, including 7-for-19 on threes, 9-for-14 at the line, outrebounding the Winhawks 33-29 and having just 12 turnovers.

“Winona played a heck of a basketball game,” said the second-year head coach. “I think we played a pretty good game too. They made a few more free throws than we did, and there’s not a whole lot you can do about that.”

Free throws were critical in the second half, when the Tigers missed the front end of a number of one-and-one opportunities. The Winhawks, meanwhile, were 12-for-14 from the line in the second half and 8-for-10 in the fourth quarter.

It was pretty much back and forth for three-plus quarters, with the teams trading threes and the lead in a first period that ended with a 21-17 Winona advantage.

The Tigers grabbed the momentum and the lead early in the second quarter on a three-point play by Ben Woodside and a pair of free throws by Tyler Young.

A backboard-shaking dunk by Young made it 28-27 at about the midway point but, as they seemed to do all night, the Winhawks answered with threes and took a 43-36 lead into halftime.

Again the Tigers came out strong, tying it at 52 on a basket by Young with about three minutes left in the third, and Winona was up 57-55 entering the fourth.

The Tigers tied it 59-59 early in the fourth but never did regain the lead.

The deciding stretch came with about three minutes remaining, when Winona got a steal and a basket and a three-point hoop to make it 69-62.

The Tigers made a valiant comeback attempt, with Ryan Moore hitting a pair of threes down the stretch, but the closest they got was 79-76 on a Mike Behrends lay-up in the final seconds.

Woodside finished with 20 points, four assists and three steals. Thorn had 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots, Young 10 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks, Moore 12 points and five assists, Behrends 13 points, Ross Habben four points, Jordan Skophammer two points.

The Tigers fell to 2-6 in the Big Nine and 6-6 overall while Winona improved to 9-3 for the season.

The ALHS boys host Fairmont in a nonconference game Tuesday.